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It’s words most basketball fans have been waiting long to hear: The NBA’s back ... well almost.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski dropped his patented Woj bombs Wednesday, detailing how the NBA plans to return to play and when. According to Wojnarowski, the NBA’s inviting 22 teams to play in Orlando where each team will participate in an eight regular-season games to help determine playoff seeding beginning on July 31.
So the NBA's inviting 22 teams to Orlando: 13 Western Conference, 9 Eastern Conference. Eight-regular season games per team. Play-in for the 8th seeds. July 31-October 12. Vote tomorrow to ratify.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 3, 2020
The NBA's back.
The 16 current teams situated in playoff spots will be asked to go to a centralized location along with the New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs and Washington Wizards.
To reach an even playoff field, there may be a play-in format, which would only occur if the ninth-seeded team is less than four games behind the team sitting in the No. 8 spot. Wojnarowski tweeted the play-in format would be double-elimination for the eighth seed and single elimination for the ninth seed.
Sources: Joining the 16 current playoff teams in Orlando: New Orleans, Portland, Phoenix, Sacramento and San Antonio in the West and Washington in the East. If the 9th seed is more than 4 games behind the 8th, No. 8 makes playoffs; Fewer than 4 games, a play-in tournament.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 3, 2020
Wojnarowski already reiterated an early report that the last day of the NBA Finals if it were to go to seven games would be Oct. 12. The NBA’s Board of Governors is expected to be on a conference call Thursday at 12:30 p.m. ET to discuss the proposal and speculation from Wojnarowski is the plan will be ratified.